Model

<section begin=glossary />

A detailed and explicit description of a computation procedure. D↷ A model can be automatically run by a computer after the input parameters have been entered. The output of the computation is optimally the result of a variable. A model relates to the "management" subattribute of the "process" template. <section end=glossary />

Model description

Model description contains the general format for the description of models.

• Summary
  • How to access
• Name
• Scope
  • Purpose
    • The method that this model relates to. (All methods are about information processing, and all models are managing a particular method.)
    • The management needs for which the model is needed (instead of just ad hoc management of the method).
  • Boundaries (related to the part of reality that the model deals with)
    • Spatial coverage
    • Spatial resolution
    • Temporal coverage
    • Temporal resolution
    • Pollutants / Stressors
    • Health effects
    • Population data
    • Source types of emissions / sectors
    • Physical information (e.g. meteorologies)
  • Technical constraints (e.g. platforms)
  • Intellectual property rights (who is allowed to access or use the model?)
  • Users constraints (who could use the model? Must he/she be trained?)
• Structure of the process
  • Input
    • Data sources
    • Input stemming from other models
  • Procedure
    • Procedure as such
    • Assumptions and constraints made to facilitate the calculation
  • Output (incl. if the output is point estimates or a distribution)
    • Results
    • Output that goes into other models
• Rationale
  • Rationale (general)
  • Weaknesses of the model
• See also
• References

An alternative model description from Heimtsa.

• Name of Model
• Field(s) of model: Choose between Outdoor Air; Indoor Air; Water; Soil; Noise; Exposure; Multimedia; Consumer products; Drinking water; Dose-Response, PBPK; Integrated Assessment systems; Monetary Evaluation; etc.
• Brief description
• Which agents can be covered
• Types of input data their source and format (separately for each input data)
  • Type
  • Source
  • Format(s)
• Types of outputs and their format (separately for each output data)
  • Type
  • Spatial scale
  • Format(s)
• Database type: Please choose between ORACLE; SQL; MS-ACCESS; etc
• Operating System: Please choose between WINDOWS; UNIX; LINUX; OS-MAC; VAX-VMS; etc.
• Portability: YES (which OS) / NO
• Software requirements
• Please list here the software(s) that are needed to run the model (if someone)
• Hardware platform on which it runs
• Time required for a typical run
• Programming language and functions
  • Please specify which programming language and/or functions used
• Developed by/support available from
• Intellectual property rights
  • Owned by ...
  • Canned model cannot be modified / Open source / Operated under license / Other
• Unit responsible for running and maintenance
• Degree of mastery: In familiarization / Basic user / Expert user
• Can modify/reprogram within platform YES / NO
• Can transport to alternate platform YES / NO
• Contact person
• Comments